# gap

Pronunciation: say "GAP" /ɡæp/

## Noun

1. An empty space, or a stretch of time, in which nothing is present or happening.
   - Simple: An empty space, or a period of time with nothing in it.
   - _Leave a gap of about an inch between the tiles so there is room for the grout._
   - _Her calendar showed a two-hour gap between the morning meetings and the afternoon flight._
2. A deficiency, shortfall, or absence: a lack of something where completeness or sufficiency is expected.
   - Simple: A missing amount or part: something that should be there but is not.
   - _The audit revealed a serious gap in the company's finances._
   - _There is a wide gap between supply and demand for housing._
3. An opening created in something by breaking it or pulling it apart.
   - Simple: A hole or open space made when something breaks or splits apart.
   - _A gap appeared in the dam after the floodwaters rose._
   - _Workers found a gap where the old pipe had cracked open._
4. An opening through which one can pass or enter, as in a wall, fence, or hedge.
   - Simple: An open space that lets people or things pass through.
   - _The sheep escaped through a gap in the stone wall._
   - _Soldiers slipped through a gap in the enemy line under cover of dark._
5. A hiatus or break that interrupts something otherwise continuous, such as a recording or a sequence of events.
   - Simple: A pause or break in something that usually keeps going.
   - _Listeners noticed a sudden gap in the live broadcast._
   - _A gap in her employment history prompted several questions._
6. An opening that reveals a breach or defect: a weakness or flaw in something expected to be sound or complete.
   - Simple: A weak or missing part that shows something is not complete or safe.
   - _Auditors identified a serious gap in the firm's safety procedures._
   - _A gap in the regulations let the practice continue for years._
7. A pass or low point between mountains or hills, providing a route across the range.
   - Simple: A low place between hills or mountains where you can cross.
   - _The wagon train wound slowly toward the gap in the ridge._
   - _A cold wind blew down through the gap between the two peaks._
9. In baseball, the area of the outfield between two outfielders, where a batted ball can fall safely or roll for extra bases.
   - Simple: In baseball, the open space between the outfielders where a hit ball can drop in.
   - _He drove a line drive into the gap in right-center field._
   - _The outfielders shaded over to cover the gap against a pull hitter._
10. The disparity between indigenous and non-indigenous communities in life expectancy, education, health, and similar measures. *(literary, Australia)*
   - Simple: The difference between native peoples and others in things like health, schooling, and how long people live.
   - _New funding aims to close the gap in indigenous education._
   - _Recent reports show the gap in life expectancy remains stubbornly wide._
11. The shortfall between what a medical insurer pays the provider and the scheduled fee for the item, left for the patient to cover. *(Australia)*
   - Simple: The part of a medical bill that your insurance does not pay and you must cover yourself.
   - _Patients are often surprised by the gap on their specialist bills._
   - _The clinic offered to waive the gap for the procedure._
16. A region within a sequence alignment that contains no aligned residue, shown as a break in the aligned sequence.
   - Simple: A spot in a row of lined-up DNA or protein sequences where part is missing.
   - _The alignment showed a gap of several bases between the two reads._
   - _Researchers introduced a gap to bring the homologous regions into register._
18. A slang term for the vagina. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A slang word for the vagina.
   - _The comedian's crude bit about his ex's gap drew groans from the crowd._
   - _He muttered something coarse about her gap as she passed._
19. A sheltered stretch of coast lying between two cliffs, found mostly in place names.
   - Simple: A protected stretch of coast lying between two cliffs, used mostly in place names.
   - _The village fishermen kept their boats in the gap, sheltered from the open sea._
   - _A steep track wound down to the gap where the chalk cliffs broke toward the beach._
21. Alternative form of gup. — Alternative form of gup (elected head of a gewog in Bhutan)
   - Simple: Another spelling of gup. It means the elected head of a gewog, a local district in Bhutan.
   - _Each gewog chooses its own gap to represent it in local matters._
   - _The gap presided over the community meeting._

## Verb

8. To create an opening in something by breaking or parting it; to breach a barrier.
   - Simple: To make a hole or opening in something, or to break through it.
   - _The artillery finally managed to gap the defensive wall._
   - _Floodwaters gapped the earthen embankment overnight._
12. To fall or spill open in such a way as to leave an opening between the parts.
   - Simple: To fall or spread open in a way that leaves an empty space.
   - _The curtains gap slightly where the panels fail to meet._
   - _The wound gapped open after the stitches gave way._
13. To check or measure the width of a gap between two parts.
   - Simple: To measure how wide a space or opening is.
   - _Always gap the electrodes before fitting a new plug._
   - _The technician gapped each spark plug to the maker's specification._
14. To put a notch in the edge of a blade, such as a sword or knife.
   - Simple: To make a small notch or dent in the edge of a blade.
   - _The fencer gapped his blade against his opponent's guard._
   - _Careless sharpening can gap a fine edge._
15. To surpass someone or something by a wide margin, especially in a race or game. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To get far ahead of another person or team in a race or game.
   - _The frontrunner gapped his rivals on the climb._
   - _Top riders often gap on the technical descents._
17. To depart suddenly, often without warning. *(slang, New Zealand)*
   - Simple: To leave a place quickly and without warning.
   - _They gapped the moment the police arrived._
   - _We should gap before things get any worse._

## Verb

20. To stare or gape, often open-mouthed in surprise. *(dated, US)*
   - Simple: To stare at someone or something with your mouth open in surprise.
   - _Crowds gap whenever something unusual rolls down Main Street._
   - _The children gapped the clown's enormous shoes._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–19** — From Middle English gap, from Old Norse gap ("an empty space, gap, chasm"), from gapa ("to gape, scream"), going back to Proto-Germanic and a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to open wide, gape." It is related to Danish gab and Old English ġeap, and compares with English gape.
**Meaning 20** — A variant of gape.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gap (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).